Danger-signal for railway-bridges



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J-. W. STEELE. DANGER SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY BRIDGES.

N0. 3 87 747 Patented Aug. 14, 1888.

N, PETERS. Plwtowngripher, Wnbingjm Dv C (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.'

J. W. STEELE.

DANGER SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY BRIDGES. 180.887.742 Patented Aug. 14, 1888.

Irfen/avu' 71 MM Q8/1886 @WAfl/AZO UNITED STATES Fl lQFQ PATENT JAMES W.STEELE, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE'HALF TO ANDREW MCNALLY, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DANGER-SIGNAL FOR RAlLWAY-BRlDGES.

SPECIPICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No.- 387,747, dated August14, 1888.

Application filed September 16, 193?. Serial No. l-lil 34. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES W. STEELE, of Topeka, in the county of Shawneeand State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Danger-Signals for Railway-Bridges, of which the following is adescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view ofa railwaybridge, showing my improved device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is atransverse vertical sectional View in detail of aportion of the bridge,showing the tripping device connected therewith and the manner in whichthe same is operated upon by the rise of the water beneath. Fig. 3 is aface View in detail of a semaphore when released by the trippingmechanism. Fig. 4 is a lateral view of the same. Fig. 5 shows a modifiedform of semaphore in its normal position. Fig. 6 is a view of the-samein its abnormal position; and Fig. 7 is a bottom sectional view of theframe or trigger, taken upon the line a: .r, Fig. 2.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the different figures.

The object of my invention is to provide a danger-signal to be placed ator near the approach of railway bridges, culverts, 850., and which shallbe so constructed that it may act automatically and give warning toapproaching trains of danger resulting from an abnormal action of theelements in relation thereto-as, for example, floods, high winds,earthquakes, lightning-strokes, or fire. 1 accomplish said object bymeans of semaphores or other signals connected with the bridge by anysuitable tripping mechanism or trigger, whereby a dangerous rise ofwater or a displacement or destruction of the bridge from other causesmay serve to releasesaid tripping mechanism and operate the signal,allof which I accomplish substantially in the manner hereinafter moreparticularly described and claimed.

In the drawings, A represents the usual stringers of a railway-bridge,while B indicates the cross-ties. One of said cross-ties, as B,preferably located at or near one end of the bridge and upon the solidground, as

shown, is caused to project beyond the others upon one side of saidbridge, while another, as B", Fig. l, is made to project in like manherfrom the opposite side, and to the ends of said ties, respectively, areattached elbow levers O O. The levers C O are connected with each otherby means of a wire, D, eX- tending across the bridge, while one arm oithe lever G is connected by means of a taut wire, D, to atripping-block, E, of a sema phore, F, both of which are hereinaftermore fully described. A wire, D connects the lever C with a likesemaphore upon the opposite side of the stream.

Nailed or otherwise rigidly secured to one of the ties B, at or near themiddle of the bridge, and preferably upon the upstream side of the saidbridge, are depending bars G G, which serve to support the middle of ahorizontal bar, H, Figs. 1 and 2,which is provided with cross-arms h h,journaled in bearings in the supports G. A frame,J,is loosely suspendedat a point, j, from the cross'tie B, while one end of the bar H, whichis bent at right angles, as shown in Fig. 7, is caused to bear upon theunder side of a notched block, j, and thus constitute a trigger whichmay serve to normally support the bar Hin a horizontal position. Theopposite end of the bar H is extended over and rests upon the wire D,while a weight, H, is loosely attached to the outer end of said bar. Across-bar or float, J, is attached to the frame or trigger J at such aheight above the normal water-line of the stream as to indicate adangerous rise of water.

The form of semaphore which I prefer to use as a signal may beconstructed and operated as follows: F is a supporting-post, F an armpivoted at its top at f, and F is a connterpoise-weight attached to ashort arm, f, rigidly secured to, the arm F The block E, abovementioned, is passed loosely through a mortise in the bottom of the postand engages with a notch, f Figs. 1 and 3, in the end of the arm F",thereby normally retaining 9 said arm in a vertical position against thepost F and causing the weight F to remain in an elevated position. A.spiral spring, e, (better shown in Fig. 4,) attached to the block andpost, respectively, serves to maintain V mitted to act upon the wire D.

such engagement. A notch, e, in the block E permits the release of thearm F when brought into alignment therewith by an abnormal strain uponthe wire D. A pin or stop, 0 Fig. 4, prevents the block from beingwholly withdrawn.

The operation of said device is as follows: Assuming the various partsto be in the respective positions shown in Fig. 1, and that an abnormalrise takes place in the water of the stream, the float J is actuatedthereby, as indicated in Fig. 2, when the end of the bar H is releasedfrom its bearing against the block 9', and the entire force of theweight H is per- This expands the spring 0, controlling the position ofthe block E, and withdraws the latter until the notches therein coincidewith the notches f thus releasing the arm F which is raised by theweight F", as indicated in Fig. 3. It is obvious that a like actionwould take place in the event of a strong wind blowing in the directiontaken by the current, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, or in anopposite direction, or in case the bridge should be burned or sodisplaced as to throw the weight H upon the wire D.

I do not confine myself to the style or kind of signal or semaphoreemployed, as it is ob vious that any of the various kinds may beemployed without departing from the essential features of my invention.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I' have shown the usual target and lantern signal intheir normal and abnormal positions, respectively. F therein is theequivalent of the rigid post shown in the other figures, and is adaptedto partially rotate upon a vertical axis, being held in its normalposition by means of the spring 0. By

attaching the wire D to the arm c it is inanifest that the signal wouldbe actuated upon the falling of the weight H as effectually as themechanism shown in the other figures.

The advantages of said device are that it is cheap and simple in itsconstruction as well 5 as automatic and positive in its action, givingwarning of an abnormal rise of water, the carrying away of the bridge byflood, or the destruction thereof by fire.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is e 1. The combination, with a bridge and one or moresignals or semaphores provided with means, as sliding blocks andsprings, for maintaining them in a normal position, of a Wire connectingsaid blocks, and a trigger (de signed to be released by the abnormalaction of the elements) for sustaining a weight above the wire and inoperative connection therewith, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a signal or semaphore and its releasingmechanism, as the block 6, ol' the weighted and pivoted bar H,

the suspended frame or trigger J, and a wire in operative connectiontherewith and with said releasing-block, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. In a danger-signal for railway-bridges, a

suspended trigger adapted to float and move 7c in the direction of thecurrent in the event of an abnormal rise of water, in combination with asemaphore and its releasing mechanism, as the block e, and means, as thepivoted bar H, weight H, and wire D, for connecting

